Happy Thursday! Happy November! Happy Election Day!
This past week in a nutshell… Wet and cold followed by cold and snow followed by NICE! Just about all the leaves are off the trees. FULL MOON Halloween came and went! Sunday night and Monday night it SNOWED!!! About four inches each night – and cold!!! Carol says TEN INCHES on her hand railing. The river froze over, too. Chickadees flutter about. Faux ladybugs in the windows. It’s been a cool and rainy autumn and with all the snow we’ve had the Oswegatchie is flowing good! The trails could be wet-ish. Numerous folks in town report a decreased number of MICE in their camps. Also, no sign of the racoons for a couple weeks now – think someone in town relocated them. WEAR ORANGE IN THE WOODS… Regular hunting season began Oct 24th and continues through most of December!!
Upcoming… Weather forecast says… HOLY WOW! If you thought Wednesday was nice… Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday ALL BEUTIFUL DAYS… daytime temps low to mid 60s, 40s by night. Maybe some rain rolling in Wednesday bringing daytime temps into the 40s. This weather forecast is brought to you by Wanakena’s own PATTIJACKNAN weather team – a Wanakener garage pole mounted weather station and crew. THANKS, TEAM! This weather station can be found at: https://www.wunderground.com/weather/us/ny/wanakena/KNYWANAK8 - Also, always beautiful photography at the Wanakena Tracks facebook page. A SIGN OF THE SEASON!!!!! THE PLASTIC IS UP!!!!! WINTER.... BRING IT ON!
Bridgework continues! Bang bang, zoom zoom, clunk clunk, zip zip, boop boop, dong dong, meep meep, rumble rumble, boom boom, blah blah, etc…. any questions? Oh yeah – what’s that thing?!?! It’s a concrete heater, obviously! Word on the street is: laying down asphalt this Friday! As they say around Wanakena: WE’LL BE DRIVING OVER THAT NEW BRIDGE IN NO TIME!!!!!!
Interesting ICE PHENOMENON! It was pretty darn cold the other day and the river froze right-up! There was a dense foam pattern on the water’s surface and it froze like granite! You can see in this image just around past under the footbridge where the river’s current prevented the river from freezing. An arc of frozen-foam-slush buildup. In this image it is pretty clear to see – for those who wish to dispute – THIS is where the river ends and Cranberry Lake begins. The Oswegatchie River turns into Inlet Flow of Cranberry Lake. HERE IT IS!
ROUST III : One year and one day later… ROUST returned for its third installment. The first ROUST was held within Otto’s Abode and was smash (last November) - musicians and spectators mingled about the low-lit sonicized atmosphere. ROUST II was held this past summer out on the lawn due to Covid-safety measures. So, before it gots too cold and snowy, ROUST took one more stab at playing out on the ZPARK lawn. This past Sunday October, 1st around 2pm was the plan…. WELL…. As some might have realized, it was COLD, WINDY and RAINY… Not a good atmosphere to wear a mask, keep distance and take a stroll through the sound garden… SO…. The ROUSTERS relocated to the Large, outdoor pavilion behind the Clifton Community Library in Cranberry Lake. Though it was cold and windy, the event was a success! There are more photos HERE.
Down at the Abode… In between exhibitions here. Want to show some art? Let us know! Spread the word! There is a small section of the interior space set aside to allow a coffee drinker to remove their facemask and sip the good stuff. This is pretty big. Those who may remember will recall The Abode is a place where you can settle in and take a load off in a rocking chair or at the bar. With COVID going on we had to ditch the chairs. Well, a few of them are back. While you’re here take a peek around the shop. There’s LOTS MORE to look at; art, maps, historical displays, and MORE! Perhaps you’ll go home with something you did not realize you needed. Perhaps you’d find a perfect gift for someone. Perhaps you’ll go home with ingredients for a DELICIOUS dinner. You’re purchases down here at Otto’s Abode help keep us open and going all year long. Take some time out of your day, to go out of the way. ALSO!!! FRESH IN THE SHOP! After ROUST III the other day Claude and Ola (of Dekalb Junction) dropped of the NEWEST DEFT ESOTERICA!!! It features TWO local musicians. Malone's Michael Hart and Potsdam's Jerrod Sommerfelt. A few copes for sale down here at the shop. Check it out! Here they/it is/are:
RANGER SCHOOL IS IN SESSION, BUT THE CAMPUS IS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC!!! That means no hunting. Here’s a message from the Ranger School: The Ranger School's James F. Dubuar Memorial Forest will be closed to the public for an indefinite amount of time beginning Saturday, August 15, 2020. The Cranberry Lake 50 trail, which passes in front of the school, will remain open. This action is necessary to protect students and staff as they begin a new academic year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but it is a critical precaution as we work to ensure the health and success of the Class of 2021. Thank you for your cooperation. Here’s a story about it all: https://www.nny360.com/news/stlawrencecounty/property-sales/article_eeec3094-901a-531a-8a18-ab1b991b3a79.html
WESTERN ADIRONDACK PRESBATYRIAN CHUCH zoom-zooms every Sunday at 10:45 using meeting #6663654813 and every morning at 9am for a Morning Prayer. WANAKENA CEMETERY ASSOCIATION announced that Cremation Remains burial has gone up from $150 to $250. Also, there is no longer a backhoe charge for cremation burial because they don’t use a backhoe for cremation burials any longer.
Important information from the other end of CRANBERRY LAKE: Stone Manor Diner and Motel open, The Clifton Community Library and Tooley Pond Duck Decoy Showroom in Cranberry Lake are open! The Clifton Community Library is open FIVE DAYS PER WEEK plus Wednesday evenings by appointment. Call 3158483256 or clklib@ncls.org for an appointment. Curbside pick us is also still available. At the Clifton Community Center, Cranberry Lake, NY 12927. ALSO, a message via their Facebook Page: Our grant from the Foundation for Rural Service has ended, and so we have shut down our wireless hotspot in Newton Falls. We hope the community made good use of it and enjoyed it there. If you have any feedback, please don't hesitate to let us know. Thank you to the fire department for partnering with us to provide this resource for the past 18 months! LAKESIDE GENERAL STORE IN CRANBERRY LAKE IS CLOSED FOR THE LONG WINTER SEASON. Check out the Cranberry Lake Boat Club and The North Shore Hub online, too!
OUT WEST: Coffee Fever, Todd Hardware, Adirondack Pharmacy and Circle K in Star Lake are open! Mountain Gate Redemption near Benson Mines is open! The Clifton-Fine Municipal Golf Course is open seven days a week. Hillside Diner, UB’s Mercantile, Green Pinkly Farm and Adirondack Rustics in Oswegatchie are open! Both Twin Lakes and SOS in Star Lake got a fresh paint job but remain temporarily closed since March 2020. Word on the street is Twin Lakes is re-opening SOON!
Kim’s Lost Dog Report: As of today, there are NO lost dogs in Wanakena.
All for now!
Any questions, comments, concerns, trail condition inquiries, legends, jokes, animal sightings, etc… feel free to email otto@ottosabode.org or call 3158483008 or pop-in the shop! Wanakena Weekly archive here: http://www.ottosabode.org/p/wanakena-weekly.html
"Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.” -William Allen White (1940)